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OVERVIEW

The SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit project is part of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s (MST) larger vision for:

  • Connecting communities.
  • Creating opportunity.
  • Being kind to our planet.

Once in service, SURF! will increase connections throughout the Monterey Peninsula and beyond! Here’s what’s included:

  • A six-mile busway parallel to Highway 1, from Marina to Sand City and Seaside
  • Extensions to the Beach Range Road trail in Marina and Sand City
  • A new mobility hub in Marina with a safe drop-off area, public parking, and bicycle and mobility amenities
  • New transit stops serving Marina, Sand City, and Seaside
  • Traffic signal improvements for better traffic flow

SURF! Transit Fair & Family Fun Day

A great day coming together with our community.

PROJECT BENEFITS

From idea to implementation, every stage of the SURF! project has been carefully guided by MST’s fundamental vision:

Connecting communities.Creating opportunity.Being kind to our planet.
  • Unlocking fast, easy travel from the Salinas Valley to Downtown Monterey and points in between.
  • Connecting with existing transit lines—including JAZZ and other routes that serve the VA Clinic and CSUMB.
  • Providing frequent, fast, and dependable transit options for those who can’t or just don’t want to drive.
  • Linking Marina, Seaside, and Sand City with direct connections to business, shopping, and education.
  • Allowing fast, lower-cost commuting from affordable housing to major job and education centers.
  • Creating $250 million in economic benefits and 650 jobs for the Monterey Peninsula.
  • Reducing vehicle trips by over 500,000 per year—leading to a net decrease of more than 1,200 metric tons of greenhouse gases!
  • Replacing diesel-fueled buses with new zero-emission buses.

WHAT WE’VE HEARD SO FAR

To build a transit network that works for everyone, MST and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) have conducted significant outreach to learn what the community wants for transit service along the SURF! corridor.

As of September 2022, MST and TAMC have participated in over 90 meetings with stakeholders and community members, including an open house in Marina with more than 65 attendees. Over the last three years, MST and TAMC have reached over 2,200 members of the community.

Here are the major themes we’ve heard so far:

Multimodal Access
Many community members cited a lack of first- and last-mile access—including park-and-ride facilities, bike racks, and drop-off bays at transit stations—as a top priority. Hearing this, we included a new mobility hub at 5th Street that includes enhanced multimodal facilities to suit every traveler’s needs!

Bus Stop Facilities
Many riders expressed a desire for improved features at bus stops, including real-time transit information displays and better protection from weather, so we were pleased to showcase new bus station designs featuring improved amenities and sheltering!

Support for Rail
We heard from community members about support for future rail. While SURF! project focuses on bus rapid transit (BRT) as the most effective way to build ridership and reduce congestion now, the project design protects the railroad corridor that are parallel to Highway 1 for possible future use.

Environmental Preservation
It’s no surprise that many residents voiced concerns about impacts to the habitats and wildlife around the project area. A shared respect for protecting our environment is why Monterey is among the most beautiful places in the world.

That’s why MST is partnering with California State Parks and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District to aid protection and restoration efforts around Fort Ord Dunes State Park and Marina Dunes Preservation. Trees and vegetation removed during construction will be carefully replaced and, where possible, planted at a higher ratio, preserving the region’s beautiful vistas for everyone to enjoy!

Get Involved!

We’ll be rolling out new ways to engage and influence the SURF! project as it advances and new design concepts become available. If you’re as excited about the SURF! project as we are, sign up for updates and/or reach out to let us know what you think.

Sign Up for UpdatesContact Us
Learn about the latest news and upcoming events for SURF! and other exciting MST projects by signing up for our mailing list.

Questions, comments, and public input on the SURF! project or its key design areas can be submitted via phone (1-888-678-2871), email (customerservice@mst.org), or by mailing a letter to:

Monterey-Salinas Transit
19 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Suite 200
Monterey CA 93940

PROJECT PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

SURF! is supported by many community partners including:

  • Cities of Marina, Seaside, and Sand City
  • California State Parks
  • California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB)
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Blue Zones Project
  • LandWatch Monterey County
  • Caltrans
  • Monterey Firefighters Association




PROJECT FAQs

Project Background


Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Ridership


Community Input


Environmental Review


Project Development

In The News

Informational Materials

Environmental Documents